Red-Fronted Macaw

Ara rubrogenys

A critically endangered green macaw with a red forehead that lives only in dry mountain valleys of central Bolivia.

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About the Red-Fronted Macaw

Red-fronted macaws are about 24 inches long and weigh 15 to 19 ounces, small for a macaw. They are mostly green with red on the forehead, behind the eyes and on the shoulders. They live only in dry, mountainous scrub forests of central Bolivia and eat cactus, grasses, fruits and nuts. Flocks of 2 to 30 feed and roost together.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Ara rubrogenys^[1]
Size: About 24 inches long, with a wingspan of about 32 inches.^[1]
Weight: 15 to 19 ounces.^[1]
Lifespan: Up to 50 years.^[1]
Diet: Cactus, grasses, fruits and nuts; sometimes crops like corn.^[1]
Habitat: Dry, mountainous scrub forest.^[1]
Where it lives: Central Bolivia.^[1]
Group life: Flocks of 2 to 30. Pairs stay together year-round.^[1]
Babies: 1 to 3 eggs in a cliff hole, incubated about 26 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List, assessed 2021). Fewer than 300 adults remain.^[1][2]

Fun facts

Red-fronted macaws play by beak wrestling and tossing objects.^[1]
They nest in holes in cliffs instead of trees.^[1]
They help plants by pollinating flowers and spreading seeds.^[1]

Vocabulary

pollinate: To carry pollen from one flower to another so plants can make seeds.
allopreening: When one bird cleans another bird's feathers.
pet trade: Buying and selling wild animals as pets, which can take too many from the wild.
scrub: Land covered with short bushes and small trees.
critically endangered: A conservation label meaning a species faces an extremely high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

San Francisco Zoo & GardensSan Francisco, California · BirdsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. “Red-fronted Macaw.” https://www.sfzoo.org/red-fronted-macaw/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Ara rubrogenys (Red-fronted Macaw).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22685572/196567391 (accessed 2026-10-02)